Hidalgo County and Precinct 1 Commissioner Joel Quintanilla celebrated the grand opening of the newly renovated Sunset Park in Mercedes on Saturday, May 5, 2012. Also in attendance to mark the event were Hidalgo County Judge Ramon Garcia and Urban County Program Director Diana Serna.

Residents from throughout the vicinity were present to celebrate the grand opening, expressing their gratitude and appreciation to Precinct 1 and the County for their work in making the park a central focus of the community.

For years, Sunset Park offered basic amenities - one swing set, a pair of picnic tables, and restrooms. Since 2007, the Precinct has dedicated substantial time, effort, and funding to bring the park up to par and provide much-needed outdoor recreation activities for local residents and families.

The Precinct received funding through the US Department of Energy, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the Hidalgo County Urban County Program to assist with addition and expansion of the park’s amenities. The Precinct augmented the initial grants & appropriations with its own funding sources, and the newly renovated Sunset Park now boasts a wide variety of recreational amenities, including:

• New swing sets
• Basketball courts
• Paved walking & bicycle trail (.610th of a Mile) with fitness stations along the trail
• Picnic tables
• BBQ pits
• New concession stands with restrooms
• Solar lighting
• New fence surrounding park
• Paved new parking lot
• 2 Baseball Fields (almost complete)
• 1 Football Field / Multi-use Soccer Field
• Portable bleachers for fields

With support from its partners, the Precinct is looking forward to fund future park improvements such as picnic table canopies, irrigation system for fields, additional restrooms on the north side of park, landscaping, and more.